Mitral Valve Abnormalities
What Are Mitral Valve Abnormalities?The mitral valve is like a door in the heart that allows blood to pass from the left atrium (which receives blood from the lungs) to [...]
Types of Arrhythmia
An arrhythmia (also called dysrhythmia) is an abnormal rhythm of the heart, which can cause the heart to pump less effectively.Arrhythmias can cause problems with contractions of the heart chambers [...]
Pulse Oximetry – A Scientific Statement From the AHA and AAP
Background— The purpose of this statement is to address the state of evidence on the routine use of pulse oximetry in newborns to detect critical congenital heart disease (CCHD).Methods and [...]
Pulmonary Artery Banding
Pulmonary artery banding (PAB) is a technique of palliative surgical therapy used by congenital heart surgeons as a staged approach to operative correction of congenital heart defects. This technique was [...]
Ectopia Cordis
Ectopia Cordis is a birth defect in which the heart is abnormally located. The malfunction happens when the sternum forms during the gestation period and the heart begins to grow [...]
The Heart and Down Syndrome
Abnormalities of the cardiovascular system are common in Down syndrome. Approximately half of all infants born with Down syndrome have a heart defect. Many of these defects have serious implications [...]
Pediatric Stroke
Like most people, you probably think that strokes only happen in adults — especially older adults. But kids can have strokes, too. Although they're less common in kids, strokes occur [...]
BNP and NT-proBNP Testing for Heart Failure
I do not have first-hand experience with this test, however I recently read about a few pediatric CHD patients being given this test. I'm not sure how accurate or common [...]
Heart Defects Present in New Unrecognized Genetic Disorder
Researchers from four laboratories that perform diagnostic genetic testing of chromosome abnormalities in individuals with unexplained physical and developmental disabilities recently identified a previously unrecognized genetic disorder.In their study, published [...]
Coronary Artery Fistula
Coronary artery fistula is an abnormal connection between one of the coronary arteries and a heart chamber or another blood vessel. The coronary arteries are blood vessels that bring oxygen-rich [...]